Passenger-register for vehicles.



E. PRIESTMAN & F. NELL. PASSENGER REGISTER EoR VEHICLES. APPLIOATION FILED DEO. B, 1913. 1,088,622, Patented Feb. 24, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

coLuMmA PLANoaRAmi co., WASHINGTON. 11x:4

E. PRESTMAN & P. NELL. PASSENGER REGISTER FOR VEHICLES.

APBLIGATION FILED DEG. a, 191s.

1 ,088,622, i Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH cO..w^s-1|NGTON. D. c.

E. PRIESTMAN d.: F. NELL.V EAssENeEB REGISTER Fon VEHICLES.

APPLICATION YILED DEQJS, 1913.

lv Patented Feb. 24, 1914 @wow/tm Edmund Przesmafv Fred Well.

s SEEETFSHEET a.

IIIII`aZi COLUMBIA PlANoanPH C0.. wASmNuToN. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND PRIESTMAN AND FRED NELL, OF SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND.

PASSENGER-REGISTER FOR VEHICLES.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, EDMUND PRIESTMAN and F RED NELL, subjects of the King of England, both residing in Shetlield, in the county of York, in England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Passenger-Registers for Vehicles, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to a passenger register for vehicles involving the use of a counter for registering the entrance and exit of the passengers operated by interlocking` steps and the object is to provide improved and simplied means working on this principle for automatically ascertaining with the use of a single counter the number of passengers on the upper deck of a tram car, omnibus or other vehicle.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following description and the essential novel features thereof specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being directed to the accompanying drawings which show as an example an embodiment of the invention and in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the counting dials and certain parts of the operating mechanism with the step tread members and parts of the stairway framing in section. Fig. 2 an elevation from the rear of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing parts of the operating mechanism located between the front and rear mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2 respectively. Fig. l is a plan view of the parts shown in Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 5 is a section on the line A-B of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view of parts of Fig. 3 in a ditterent position. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view t'aken through the device immediately back of the front plate 03 showing the posit-ion of the slides just after the register has been advanced one point. Fig. S is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7, showing the position of the slide interlocking means when one of the slides only is depressed. Fig. 9 is a view similar to 7 but showing the two slides depressed and holding both of the actuating pawls in inoperative position to prevent retrograde movement ot the register as the plates rise to normal position. Fig. 1() is a section en the line 10 -1O ot Fig. 9, showing the slides interlocked to rise simultaneously. Fig. 11

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 8, 1913.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

Serial No. 805,363.

is a front elevation of a modified form of dial, the dotted lines showing diagrammatically the operating means therefor. Fig. 12 is a rear elevation ol a further modified 'form ot' dial and the operating means therefor. Fig. 13 is a top plan or edge view ot the same. Fig. 14 is a side elevational View ot a modified form of slide adapted to register the number of passengers descending the steps. Fig. 15 is a detail side elevational view of a modified form of the slide interlocking means, and means for locking the slides independently in depressed position.

Referring to Figs. 1 to G, two adjacent tread members al and t2 are pivotally mounted in the side trames o3 as by means of lugs o." traversed by spindles a5 mounted in said side frames, or may be mounted by hinges if required. The riser a. between said tread members may be provided with apertures through which the indications on the dial hereinafter referred to may be readily seen.

The registering mechanism proper comprises two circular dials o b1 bearing upon them respectively the numerals or indications O to 9 and 1 to ll, the latter being usually sutlicient for tram cars, omnibuses or like vehicles, although obviously the dials may be disposed to register or count up to any desired total according to the use to which the invention is put.

The dials are so disposed that at each revolution ot the dial o a tooth o2, with which same is provided, engages a notch 3 in a sprocket b* attached to the rear ot the dial b1, thus causing the latter dial to be moved through one fifth of a revolution.

The dials are shown as mounted behind the riser a@ so that the indications thereon show through the apertures. The dial b is caused to rotate through one tenth of a revolution should pressure be applied to either oit the tread members al or a2 immediately above and below the riser respectively, this movement being effected as follows The treads all and are normally supported at a short distance above the risers, thus allowing said treads to fall through this distance before coming in contact with the risers, the upper tread al bearing upon an extension 01 of a lever o pivoted at c2 to a plate 03 behind the riser aG so that when the weight oi the passenger falls upon the tread al the lever is depressed. A spring c4 raises the lever again to normal position when the tread is released oit weight. The free end of the lever c carries a pin C5 which passes through a slot c in the plate c3.

Upon the axle or shaft (Z on which the dial Z) is mounted and at the rear oit the plate c3 is a wheel Z1 having ten teeth and between said toothed wheel and the rear tace of said plate c3 is a slide (Z2 to which the aforesaid pin c5 is secured, so that when the lever c is depressed as described the pin c5 is moved downward in the slot 0G and carries the slide Z2 downward therewith. rlhe said slide is guided in its movement at one side by a. rib Z3 on the plate c3 and is held in position by an edge (ZAL of the slide contacting with the axle Z of the dial The slide Z2 carries a pivoted pawl Z5 adapted when depressed to be acted on by a spring (ZG and when the slide is depressed the point of said pawl engages between two teeth ot the wheel. (Z1 and rotates said wheel, thus causing the dial Z) to move through one tenth of a revolution. The slide also carries a detent Z7 which when the slide has reached its lowermost position engages between two other teeth ot the wheel (Z1 and locks same against further rotation. The wheel (Z1, slide (Z2, pawl (Z5, and spring (Z6 are located between the plate c3 and a second plate c, the front or outer surface of said plate C3 `being shown in Fig. 1. The rear surface of the second plate c is shown in Fig. Q and this plate carries on its forward surface a slide e2 with pin e30, pawl c5, spring c, detent el and guide c3 identical with the parts carried by the plate c3, but reversed with regard to the axis of the wheel (Z1 as shown in broken lines in Fig. 3.

rl`he pawls Z5 and c each have a part (ZS and cs respectively made of greater thickness than the toothed wheel Z1 and the unormal position of these parts is shown in Fig. 3. Zhen however one or the slides is depressed. and remains so, the pawl of the other slide is thrown outwardly by the curved lower edge of said slide so that the pawl cannot engage the toothed wheel (Z1, this position ot the parts being shown in Fig. G.

The slide c2 is actuated by means of lever f link f1 and lever f2, the lirst of which is actuated by a tail piece f3 attached to the lower tread a2 when weight or pressure is exerted on said tread, the lever f2 carrying at its free end the pin e30 which extends through a slot e4 in the plate c. The levers and slide are returned to normal position by a spring l he springs herein shown and described may be of any other suitable toi-1n, and may be positioned otherwise than as shown if desired.

The operation of the mechanism described is as ollowsz-lllhen weight is applied to the lower tread a2 by a passenger stepping upon same7 the slide c2 is 'forced downward by means ot the connected levers '/f and f2 and pin c3". rlhe pawl c5 on said slide c2 rotates the toothed wheel Z1 forward through one tenth ol" a revolution and consequently moves the dial o through a corresponding angle. VUpon completion of this movement the detent c7 engaging between the teeth oit said wheel Z prevents any further rotation or lash thereof which might be caused by the momentmn ot the dial. 'lhe passenger while ascending the steps still retains one toot on the lower tread Z2 and at the same time places his other toot on the upper tread al, thus depressing the latter. This action causes the slide CZ2 to be forced downward and prodi'iccs movements similar to those described in connection with the slide (Z2, pawl (Z5 and detcnt (ZT with the exception that the point ot said pawl (Z5 which rests upon the edge of the slide e2 owing to the increased thickness o'f said pawl, is held out of engagenient with the toothed wheel. (Z1 and consequently the pawl (Z5 is rendered iin'iperative. Similarly7 should a passenger be descenoing the steps, on depression olf the upper tread (d the slide (Z2 being forced downward causes the pawl (Z5 to rotate the toothed wheel (Z1 and consequently the dial. Z) in the reverse direction to that previously described and at the same time the outer edge ot said slide is engaged by the pawl cf7 the latter beingthus prevented from engaging the toothed wheel (Zl when the lower tread Z2 is depressed. Thus whichever tread (L1 or ai is iirsttrodden upon causes the dial. to be rotated either in a forward or backward direction by means oit the mechanism described, that is to say7 in a forward direction in the case of the lower tread being lirst depressed, and in a backward direction when the upper tread is first depressed, and further the depression of each tread automatically prevents tl e otherI tread iti-om operating the dial so long as weight snl'iicient to depress same remains thereon. The axle (Z of the dial o and that (ZS of the dial b are mounted in the plates 0'" and c, and the tormer axle may be extended beyond the rear of said plate c and be provided with a han dle or hey g by which the dials may be manually returned to zero or reset when desired. .falso on said axle Z we may provide a starwheel g1 or equivalent with which engages a spring pawl g2 which star-wheel and pawl aetto aline the indications on the dials with the apertures (not shown). it c aperture may be provided for both. the units and tens indications it required7 this being chiefly dependent on the thielsneiss ot material of the riser behind which the dials are located.

To reduce momentum oi the dials` and avoid strain on the moving parts of the mechanism the said dials may be* made of sheet Xylonite, celluloid, vulcanite or other substances of light specific weight.

In the construction described above it is possible that on a passenger ascending or descending the steps and jumping from one step to another withoutretaining the first step in depressed position, the second step is free to operate the register, so that while actuation of the first step produces an addition on the register, actuation of the second step takes such addition off again leaving the register in its original position and consequent-ly giving no permanent indication. To obviate this objection it is necessary that the step operating slides should be locked so that one slide is held depressed until released by the next step being trodden upon, and this may be attained by means shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 in which the curved edge of each of the slides cl2, e2 which actuate the counter', is provided with a downwardly and inwardly inclined portion all@ and a pin (lll about level with same at the opposite edge which engages a spring actuated catch du attached to the guide Z3 holding the opposite side of the slide in position. rhe said catch has a pin Z13 extending therefrom so that when the inclined portion d10 of the adjacent slide comes in contact with the pin on depression of the slide, it forces the catch du outward clear of the locking pin dll.

The above described locking operation involves registration by the second step depressed instead of the first, but it will be seen that if a passenger is ascending the steps he depresses the lower step and locks the slide, then depresses the second step and actuates the register. Assuming that two passengers are descending the steps, the first passenger treads on the upper step which the previous ascending passenger has left in locked condition, and then depresses the lower' step and subtracts a unit from the registration, leaving the lower step locked and the upper step in action, so that upon the second descending passenger treading on the upper step he causes a unit to be added to the register instead of subtracted therefrom. This difculty is overcome by means shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and l0 which comprises a flat spring ZM attached to one of the slides, such as e2, and having a pin [15 which engages an aperture ciw in the other slide d2, thereby preventing the non-registering slide from springing up and locking the registering slide. lhen the passenger is clear of both steps, the slides being locked together rise simultaneously and the end of the locking spring comes into contact with a stationary inclined abutment d which releases it from the locking pin.

In order to effect the registration by the second step instead of by the lirst, the curved edge of each slide is so shaped, for example as shown at- ZU Figs. 7 and 9, that the ratchet wheel is not disclosed for actuation by its pawl until the second step has been depressed. rlhus the register is advanced by the mounting of passengers into the vehicle or the like. i Should it be desired to reverse the operation of the register, and advance the same by the descending of passengers, as by entrance to a subway, or the like, the slides are given a. slightly different form as shown in t-he modified view in Fig. 14;. In this form the curved edge (L20 is positioned to face upwardly instead of downwardly so that the ratchet wheel (Z1, see adjacent Fig. 7, is not disclosed for actuation by the pawl e5 until the Erst step is depressed, and vice versa, the subtraction from the register takes place upon the ascending of the passengers.

ln place of the flat spring (llt for locking the slides together when both are depressed, as described with reference to Figs. 7, S, 9 and 10, we may employ a construction as illustrated in Fig. 15, in which a catch z' is pivoted to the guide Z3 and has a pin l extending outwardly on either side thereof, this pin falling into a notch 2 when the slide (Z2 is depressed. rllhe inclined edge on the other slide corresponding` to edge d10 of the slide shown comes in contact with the pin l when said other slide is depressed and forces said pin out` of the notch, and at the same time a square pin h2 (dotted lines) fixed upon the second slide engages a notch /rl in a wedge shaped pawl 7L pivoted to the lirst slide (Z2, thus locking the two slides together. As the slides rise together from their' depressed position as explained above the point of the pawl engages a pin fixed to the machine frame and as the slides rise further the pawl 71, is gradually forced out of engagement with the pin 7a2 until the two slides are disconnected.

It should be remarked that the. steps themselves are raised by individual springs and levers before described and act only on the instrument to effect a registration or indication, that is to say, the slides only are locked in depressed position, the steps themselves rising directly the weight thereon is removed,

As an alternative to the two rotating numbered dials above described, we may provide an internal wheel Z: (Fig. ll) to actuate the machine and having. say #t0 teeth instead of 10 as in the preferred form` and to the end of the axle (Z carrying this wheel is aftixed hand or pointer y', as illustrated in Fig. ll, which travels over a fixed dial jl numbered from l to 40. Thus, on the machine being put into action, this hand travels around the numbered dial, pointing 'to each number iu turn.

The same result maybe achieved, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, by retaining the 10- toothed internal actuating wheel (il previously mentioned and on the end of the axle Z which carries the same, and on the outside et the machincs framework, having second lO-toothed wheel 7x1 geared into a d0- toothed wheel 7a2 fixed on a separate axle 7c3 and bearing the hand or pointer The slides may be connected to the steps in any other suitable manner than by the levers herein shown and described, and may be located at a distance from or at one side oit the steps, the principle and operation being the same.

ille do not limit ourselves to the particular construction and arrangement et parts hereinbetcre described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the same may be varied within limits determined by the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

that we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot the United States is l. A passengerl indicator for vehicles, comprising in combination two movably mounted steps, a single counting device in the :term ot' a rotatable dial, and connections between said steps and counting device whereby initial movement ot one step produces rotation of the dial in one direction and initial movement ot the other step a rotation ot the dial in the reverse direction.

Q. A passenger indicator tor vehicles, comprising in combination two movably mounted steps, a single counting device in the form of a rotatable dial, co-nnections between said steps and counting device whereby initial depression oit one step produces rotation of the dial in one direction, and initial depression of the other step a rotation ot the dial in the reverse direction, and means whereby the retention of one et said steps in depressed position prevents the depression ot the other step from operating the counting device.

A passenger indicator for vehicles, comprising in combination two movably mounted steps, a single counting device, a main actuating element between each step and the counting device, means operated by said actuating element whereby initial movement ol one step produces an increased indication on said counting device, and initial movement et the other step a reduced indication thereon, and means tor doubly locking said counting device when both steps are retained .in indicating position simultaneously.

nl. rl passenger' indicator tor vehicles, comprising in combination two movably mounted steps, a single counting device, in the t'orm of a rotatable dial, a slide operatively connected to each step, a toothed wheel connected to the counting device, and a pawl carried by each slide adapted to engage teeth on opposite sides of said wheel whereby depression of one .step produces rotation of said toothed wheel in one direction and depression ot the other step a corresponding degree et rotation in the reverse direction.

A passenger indicator for vehicles, comprising in combination two movably mounted steps, a single counting device, in the t'orm of a rotatable dial, a. slide operatively connected to each step, a. toothed wheel connected to the counting device, and a pawl carried 4by each slide adapted to engage teeth on opposite sides et said wheel whereby depression of one step produces rotation oi said toothed wheel in one direction and depression o't the other step a corresponding degree et rotation in the reverse direction, and means whereby the actuation of one slide and retention thereof in such actuated. position causes the pawl ot' the other slide to be rendered inoperative.

tl. rr passenger indicator for vehicles, comprising in combination two movably mounted steps, a single coi'inting device, connections comprising slides between said steps and counting device whereby depression of one slide produces an increased indication on said counting device and depression ot the other step a reduced indication thereon.y and means tor locking one slide in depressed condition until the other slide is depressed.

7. A passenger indicator tor vehicles, comprising in combination two movably mounted steps, a single counting device, a slide operatively connected to each step, means operated by the slide whereby depression ot' one step produces an increased indication on the counting device and depression ot the second step a reduced ind'cation thereon, means for locking the slides et both steps together. and means tor sul'isequently automatically releasing one slide from the other ttor the purpose specilied.

S. passenger indicator tor vehicles comprising a single register, ay pair oit moi/'ably mounted steps, and a connection between each step and the register, one ot said connections operating to advance the register upon the initial movement ot the correspending step and the other connection operating to retract the ister upon the initial movement ot the other step.

A passanger indicator for vehicles comprising two movably mounted steps, a singlc register, and a. slide connected to each step and to the register, one of said slides operating to move the register in one direction upon the initial movement et the corresionding step and the other slide operating to move the register in the other direction upon the initial movement et the othlr step.

l0. fr passenger indicator comprising a single register, a pair of inovably mounted steps, a connection between each step and the register, one ot said connections operatother step, and interlocking means between ing to advance the register upon the initial In Witness whereof We have signed this movement of the corresponding step, and specification inthe presence of two Witnesses. i0

the other connection opera-ting to retract the TDMUND PRIESTMAN register upon the initial movement of the AIRED NELL said connections adapted to hold the oppo- Vitnesses: site connection inoperative upon the opera- LUTHER J. PARK, tion of either of the connections. RICE K. EVANS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenti, Washington, D. C. 

